ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bulb — for light
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. object — an aim
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. stock — shares
  9. object — a thing
  10. hand — help
  11. bulb — for light
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. pit — a hole
  14. drill — army training
  15. hand — in cards
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. object — to protest
  18. drill — a practice
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. stock — goods
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pit — in a race
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. drill — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com